Cataracts: Nutritional Considerations

There are many simple ways to decrease the risk of cataracts by making small changes in your daily life:

• A diet rich in antioxidants: Because the formation of cataracts is associated with oxidation, consuming more antioxidant–rich fruits and vegetables may help prevent cataracts.
  
  Vegetables that contain high amounts of carotenoids are especially important. In particular, leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens are excellent sources of the antioxidant carotenoid lutein, which is present in the lens of the eye.
  
  Vitamins C and E also appear to be important in preventing cataract formation and progression. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, peppers, tropical fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Good sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, cooked spinach, soymilk, many varieties of nuts, sunflower seeds, mangos, and olive, peanut, and vegetable oils.
  
  It is also prudent to take a daily multivitamin. However, vitamin supplements do not take the place of a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
  
• Maintenance of a healthy cholesterol level: Studies show that high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides result in increased risk of cataracts. Also, low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol, can increase the risk of cataracts.
  
  The best way to lower cholesterol is by avoiding foods that are high in saturated fats, such as meat and dairy products, and trans fats, such as snack pastries and commercial fried foods.
  
• Reduction in fat intake: Studies show that fatty diets boost cataract risk by about 10 percent. As noted above, the most important fats to avoid are saturated fats and trans fats.
  
• Avoiding dairy products: Studies suggest that some individuals benefit from avoiding dairy products. The problem, at least theoretically, is that the lactose in dairy products breaks down during digestion to release a smaller sugar, called galactose, which can enter the lens. Especially vulnerable are individuals with a disease called galactokinase deficiency. Dairy products should be avoided in these individuals due to their contributing the majority of galactose to the diet. Further, dairy products are high sources of fat and saturated fat, which is known to raise cholesterol levels.
  
• Avoiding excessive use of alcohol: People who drink more than two glasses per week of any type of alcohol (beer, wine, or distilled spirits) have a greater than 10 percent risk for some types of cataracts.
  
• Maintenance of a healthy weight: Studies show that obese individuals have a greater than 30 percent risk of cataracts compared with healthy weight individuals.